Cabinet expands PM SVANidhi scheme to census towns, renames Barpeta Medical College, recognises Ali-Aye-Ligang holiday, approves industrial and university projects.
Guwahati: The Assam cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma at Lok Sewa Bhawan, Dispur, approved several major decisions aimed at strengthening infrastructure, education, industry, and social justice across the state.
Among the key decisions, the cabinet approved allotment of ten bighas of land to the Cultural Affairs Department for the memorial of popular singer Zubeen Garg, to be called Zubeen Samadhi Khetra. The State Cultural Affairs Department will manage the site, following the model of the Bhupen Hazarika Memorial, resolving earlier confusion over departmental responsibility.
The PM SVANidhi scheme, which provides collateral-free loans to street vendors, has been expanded beyond municipal areas to include census towns and village panchayats.
The cabinet renamed Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed Medical College and Hospital in Barpeta as Barpeta Medical College and Hospital. However, since Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed was a former President of India and the first person from Assam to hold that office, the government has decided that another educational or cultural institution will be named after him to honor his memory.
Moreover, the cabinet has also decided to grant state holiday status to the Ali Ai Ligang, a major festival of the Mising community.
Simplified land patta norms for indigenous residents in the Guwahati hills were approved, benefiting 816 families. The distribution is as follows: 452 under Dispur Revenue Circle, 338 under Guwahati Revenue Circle and 26 under Azara Revenue Circle. Additionally, 112 bighas of land in Goalpara district were sanctioned for a new industrial estate.
The cabinet approved two investment proposals worth Rs 110 crore for pipeline expansion by Assam Gas Company Limited. Additionally, six industrial projects worth Rs 24,800 crore from companies including Star Cement and Inox Solar Limited.
Statutes and ordinances for several new universities across Assam were approved. The upcoming engineering college in Behali will be named Chabilal Upadhyay Engineering College.
The cabinet also granted OBC status to 37 tea garden communities and approved the formation of an Assam Scheduled Caste Development Council, reinforcing the government’s focus on social justice initiatives.
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